Air India diverts flight, suspends Tel Aviv route after missile strike near Israeli airport

NEW DELHI: An Air India Flight, en route from Delhi to Tel Aviv, was redirected to Abu Dhabi due to a missile strike near the Israeli city's airport on Sunday.
Flight AI139, a Boeing 787 aircraft, was approaching its destination when the incident occurred, approximately an hour before its scheduled landing. The aircraft will return to Delhi, according to statement from Air India, quoted by news agency PTI.
"Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv of 4 May 2025 was diverted to Abu Dhabi after an incident at Ben Gurion airport this morning," it said. "The flight has landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi," added Air India to its statement.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24.com indicated that the diversion decision was made while the aircraft was flying through Jordanian airspace.
Later the airline operator announced that all flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till May 6. "Consequent to developments in Tel Aviv this morning, our operations to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended with immediate effect till 6th May 2025, to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. Our colleagues on ground are assisting customers and helping them with alternative arrangements. Customers booked on our flights with valid tickets between 4th and 6th May 2025 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling or full refunds for cancellation," it said in a post on X.
"We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority," it further added while sharing helpline numbers to get more information.

Later, Lufthansa Airlines also announced suspensionn of all Tel Aviv flights till May 6 after the airport attack.
This comes as the Tel Aviv airport temporarily suspended all air traffic following the impact of a Yemen-launched missile in its vicinity.
A missile fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels struck inside the perimeter of Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, wounding six people and briefly halting air traffic. The missile landed near Terminal 3's parking area, creating a large crater less than a kilometre from the tarmac, though no damage was reported to the terminal buildings or runways.
The Israeli military said multiple interception attempts were made, but it was unclear whether the impact came from the missile itself or an interceptor. The Huthis claimed responsibility, saying they launched a hypersonic ballistic missile in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The explosion caused panic at the airport, with passengers rushed to bunkers and flights temporarily suspended. An Air India flight en route to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi. Operations at the airport resumed shortly afterward.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz vowed retaliation, stating that Israel would respond with greater force. The Huthis have launched numerous missile and drone attacks since the Gaza war began, most of which have been intercepted. Their attacks had paused during a recent Gaza ceasefire but resumed in March, prompting intensified US airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.